Segmented Filter Unit for Continuous Exhaust Regeneration

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing filter units for cleaning vehicle exhaust gases require complete shutdown of gas flow through all filter elements during regeneration, leading to inefficiencies such as increased size, manufacturing costs, and incomplete regeneration due to cooling effects.

Innovation Solution

A method and filter unit design where the gas flow is cut off only to the filter element undergoing regeneration, allowing other elements to continue filtering, with separate chambers and valves to manage gas flow and electric current for efficient regeneration, ensuring stable conditions and controlled combustion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If complete shutdown of gas flow through all filter elements is implemented during regeneration, then regeneration can be performed, but filtering capacity is lost and device size must increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregeneration capabilityVSAvoidfiltering capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The filter unit is divided into multiple independent filter elements (first filter element and second filter element) that can operate independently. During regeneration of one element, the other continues to filter exhaust gas, eliminating the need to shut down the entire system and maintaining continuous filtering capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically switches between filter elements during operation. When one filter element requires regeneration, the system activates the other element while isolating the regenerating element through valve control, allowing dynamic adaptation between filtering and regeneration modes without complete system shutdown.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If complete shutdown of gas flow is implemented during regeneration, then regeneration can occur, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregeneration capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The filter unit is divided into multiple independent filter elements (first filter element and second filter element) that can operate independently. During regeneration of one element, the other continues to filter exhaust gas, eliminating the need to shut down the entire system and maintaining continuous filtering capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically switches between filter elements during operation. When one filter element requires regeneration, the system activates the other element while isolating the regenerating element through valve control, allowing dynamic adaptation between filtering and regeneration modes without complete system shutdown.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If gas flow is not cut off during regeneration, then continuous filtering is possible, but regeneration becomes incomplete due to cooling effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous filteringVSAvoidregeneration completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The filter unit is divided into multiple independent filter elements (first filter element and second filter element) that can operate independently. During regeneration of one element, the other continues to filter exhaust gas, eliminating the need to shut down the entire system and maintaining continuous filtering capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Valves are introduced as intermediary components to control and isolate the gas flow to specific filter elements during regeneration. The valves act as mediators that allow selective cutoff of exhaust flow to the regenerating element while maintaining flow through other elements, enabling both complete regeneration and continuous filtering.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces the need for electric current, maintains filtering capacity, and lowers manufacturing costs by allowing continuous operation of other filter elements, improving regeneration efficiency and control of combustion temperature.

Implementation Method 1

electric current is led to the filter element, whereby the filter element's filter fleece made of electroconductive material heats up strongly and the particles trapped in it burn off

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

the particles trapped in it burn into gaseous bodies

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentEP2263774B1Method for regenerating a filter unit and a filter unit

Publication Date: 2012.06.20 PROVENTIA EMISSION CONTROL OY

Figure 1a
Figure 1b

AI summary

In the method a filter unit comprising at least two electrically regenerable filter elements (10) is regenerated. For the duration of the regeneration the gas flow through the filter element to be regenerated is cut off substantially completely by blocking the entrance of the gas to be cleaned into the filter element. The flow-through of the gas is cut off only in the filter element to be regenerated at the time, whereby all the other filter elements of the filter unit continue to filter. The filter elements are placed into separate chambers (26a, 26b, 26c) in the filter unit, in which chambers there is an inlet channel (22a, 22b, 22c) for the inflow of the gas to be cleaned. The entrance of the gas into the filter element is blocked by closing the chamber's inlet channel with a valve (23). In the filter unit there is a housing on the surface of which there is a distributing chamber (30) into which the inlet channels of the chambers open.